FORT MYERS, Fla. — Welcome to the Red Sox’s new version of the Laser Show.
Dustin Pedroia, David Ortiz, Hanley Ramirez and Pablo Sandoval will bat two through five. That’s impressive. Add wild-card Rusney Castillo to the mix and there is some serious firepower.
A healthy Shane Victorino and Mike Napoli make this one deep lineup.
But it is the Green Monster free-agent signings of Ramirez and Sandoval that put this lineup over the top, giving the Red Sox perhaps the best lineup in the majors.
Pedroia remembers back to the days he played Double-A ball in Portland in 2005 with Ramirez and how they talked about making it to Boston. Ten years later, finally they will be teammates at Fenway.
There is the switch-hitting Sandoval as well, so this is an exciting new start for Pedroia, who is healthy again after wrist surgery.
Yankees pitchers will have their work cut out for them trying to stop this offense.
“Every year you come in, your goal is to win the World Series,’’ Pedroia told The Post on Thursday at JetBlue Park. “With the additions we’ve made, we’ve got a lot of talent, we just have to find a way to put it all together. And we’re working on that right now.’’
Working on making this the new Laser Show, a hitting term popularized by Pedroia.
This week, Ortiz posted a selfie of himself, Ramirez and Sandoval on Twitter with the comment: “Gonna give these pitchers problems.’’
Indeed.
Right-hander Rick Porcello, acquired in a trade from the Tigers, said this will be a “stressful’’ lineup for any opposing pitcher.
“I’m glad I’m not facing them,’’ Porcello said. “Every pitch you’re throwing against this lineup is a stress pitch. There are no breaks. There is a difference when you are throwing a stressful pitch or a pitch you are just throwing it up there. This is going to be a taxing lineup, especially the way they grind out at-bats here. It’s not an easy put-away.’’
The Blue Jays have a strong lineup, too, but with Ortiz having another Ramirez hitting behind him and batting fourth — this time, Hanley, not Manny — this is top shelf.
“This team is filled with winners and I am just going to try to adjust to them, it’s a great organization,’’ said Ramirez, whose locker is next to Sandoval’s, just one locker down from Ortiz, who dubbed the three sluggers “Tres Amigos.’’
“I’m just looking forward to playing in Fenway with these guys,’’ Ramirez said.
“Time went fast,’’ Ramirez said of his major league career and remembering back to his Double-A days before being traded away to the Marlins in the Josh Beckett deal. “I loved playing with Pedroia. He is a gamer, he fires everybody up the way he plays the game.’’
Said Sandoval: “This is a great team that management has put together. We’re going to have fun this year. I just have to go out and do my job, I don’t have to worry about anything.’’
He is looking forward to playing the Yankees, but Sandoval said he is not concerned about other teams, only how the Red Sox play.
“I just worry about one thing, trying to bring a championship to this team,” Sandoval said. “Changing teams is hard for me, but I’m moving forward with Boston. I’m not afraid of new challenges.
“I’m having fun so far. This is a baseball dream come true.’’
And it is just beginning.
“The guys we’ve brought in,’’ Pedroia said, “you can tell they care about the game, they care about other people. They understand this is work and the only way to accomplish the goals is to put in the hard work. These are some great players.’’
Finally, Ramirez will be teammates with Pedroia and see the Laser Show.
“First hand,’’ Pedroia offered with a grin.
